I'm not sure how I feel about this song. On one hand, it feels like it's gonna be this album's "Touch in the Night" or "Familiar Hell," but I liked those two songs way more than this. It's just so far out of their strike zone that it feels out of place. I do like the key change at the end, though, but that's not really enough to win me over just yet. We'll see if subsequent listens let it warm up to me, but as it stands, this ain't generating much hype from me.

I wish BB would write more songs that would really let Noora Louhimo cut loose. Her screams in "Raven" were unreal; it sucks that she ends up having to hold so much back for their newer, poppier style.

I like Familiar Hell more than I do this song. That being said I do still like it. For reasons already mentioned, plus I really like the lyrics and how vocally rhythmically dynamic the chorus is. It's a solid 6/10 in my book.

(Familiar Hell is an 8/10. Would be a 9/10 if it wasn't for the dumb "LISTEN TO ME" talking rap in the middle, which they wisely never do live)

Bloody Nine wrote:

I wish BB would write more songs that would really let Noora Louhimo cut loose. Her screams in "Raven" were unreal; it sucks that she ends up having to hold so much back for their newer, poppier style.

You may be thinking of screams from Anton and Eero (that's how they do it live, so that's my headcanon)

Judging by this first single this album will most likely be "Bringer of Pain" 2.0 (which is not a bad thing in my book). This new song seems to be what "Familiar Hell" was to BoP - the most pop metal song most likely. I love early BB (incl. their demos), when they were not that far into pop metal but I can definitely enjoy this. Especially live this band is so much fun - same with Powerwolf, Civil War and other bands that some like to call Plastic Metal. I like Plastic Metal if it's catchy!

_________________We live hidden from the sun in the mantle of the eternal night. We breathe the corpse effluvia from the uncovered graves.Our grim and solemn scorn will take you all to hell. Come on, show us your pride and try to face our spell!

I have to agree with many of the posters so far and say that it feels as though we've been here before. Even with the key change and a 'not all that big' big finish from Noora, the track just seems to thud along. It's a 'nodder' but not a 'pumper'. Noora, and it's always a pleasure to hear her on a new track, seems somewhat 'narrowed' into particular expressive ranges (including ranges of pitch, intensity, crunch) for each verse, chorus etc.The pop-ish elements here, like Familiar Hell and King for a Day from the last album, remind me again and again of ABBA. Whereas the pop-ish elements from Touch in the Night were more 80s. It could be a taste thing, but getting off the 80s retro line strikes me as a bad move.

On the one hand, I like the melodies and it's decently catchy, but on the other hand, it's way too soft and lacks the aggression you'd associate with a band called "Battle Beast." Also, the drums are the most boring drums I've ever heard. Like, it sounds like the drum machine from A-Ha's "Take On Me."

I actually thought that was a cool song, but I also love Dokken, Autograph, and tons of other glam bands.

Haven't tracked down the album yet, but I'm sure it will have a few good songs but might not be worth a ton of replays. I've only heard Bringer of Pain, so not sure how much of a departure this sound is for them historically, but it makes sense to me.

I've only heard Bringer of Pain, so not sure how much of a departure this sound is for them historically, but it makes sense to me.

I realize I'm cherry picking a bit by picking arguably their heaviest song but the difference between that One Direction song and my favorite from the first album with the current singer is night and fucking day.

They've always had a pop influence but it felt more like unabashedly cheesy 80s stuff that was a lot of fun to get drunk and rock out to. At this point it's really clear that the sole songwriter was kicked out, because holy shit that was bad.

"The Golden Horde" is pretty okay...but other than that, the first two singles are the only semi-decent songs on the album. "Endless Summer" isn't even the worst one. This is so goddamn disheartening to listen to.

I've only heard Bringer of Pain, so not sure how much of a departure this sound is for them historically, but it makes sense to me.

I realize I'm cherry picking a bit by picking arguably their heaviest song but the difference between that One Direction song and my favorite from the first album with the current singer is night and fucking day.

They've always had a pop influence but it felt more like unabashedly cheesy 80s stuff that was a lot of fun to get drunk and rock out to. At this point it's really clear that the sole songwriter was kicked out, because holy shit that was bad.

Yeah, they've been getting worse with every album - it really is a very clear trajectory. Their first two albums showed a band with an actual personality and heavy attitude. This new stuff is like bargain bin generic pop that literally anyone could write. Just so lame.

Hahahaha, I can't stop laughing ^^ ! It's not like I was a fan of the band or something, occasionally liking something passing me by, but "Endless Summer" sounds like Nickelback fucking with 80s cheese-butt-rock.

Yeah, BB will go down in history as a band that had it for a couple albums, then lost it, squandering a shit ton of potential.

LordStenhammar wrote:

Yep, it's fucking bad. They just can't get away with anything. Combined with the video - so embarrassing.

It's a damn shame, because out of all the genres of metal, power/heavy metal is the one where you CAN and should be able to get away with anything. Then again, it seems like even the bands without keyboards are starting to lose focus:

I'm about halfway through the album, and yeah, it's fucking awful. They're pretty much Lady Sabaton at this point; all sizzle and no steak. All the grit in their sound is gone, replaced with more cheesy 80s nonsense. Noora in particular sounds so neutered on here, pretty much becoming just another faceless girl singer on a major label metal band. They're really, really channeling the last decade of Nightwish for this album, only at least Nightwish still has riffs and good songs. The production is so overblown and bombastic that you'd think it's a parody of how the more keyboard-based bands on Nuclear Blast sound.

And Endless Summer is still complete ass.

_________________

Earthcubed wrote:

I'm just perpetually annoyed by Sean William Scott and he's never been in a movie where I wasn't rooting for his head to sever by strange means.

My issue is that there's less 80s cheese on this album than all the previous ones, this one sounds a hell of a lot more modern to me. I dug the almost Judas Priest-like sound of their first couple albums, and there was a genuine energy and enthusiasm on those. It's kind of a shame they've moved away from it. I understand wanting to move forward and try new things with your sound of course, but what they've morphed into certainly isn't working. A distinct lack of energy and enthusiasm compared to previous efforts.

"The Golden Horde" isn't too bad of a song, it's got a nice quick pace to it, though Noora's singing isn't as energetic as I'd like it to be. I like the title track too. The rest of the tracks either go in one ear and out the other, or are just fucking irritating (see: "Endless Summer").

Last edited by LycanthropeMoon on Sun Mar 24, 2019 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yes, TrooperEd, Sweet True Lies wasn't a winner either. Both bands would do better if they continued to play that "gymnastics heavy metal" instead of this 80's pop shit. As plastic as it was, I got to admit I enjoyed some of it. Now I'm just wondering the hype.

_________________I live in metallic furyIt seems I'm in controlFor my fingers bring the thunderTo this storm called rock and roll!!!

I was correct when I wrote this in my review for Bringer of Pain, looks like:

Quote:

At this rate Battle Beast has pretty much done the same thing as Sabaton so far as becoming overly commercialized, slick and dull - so I fully expect them to put out something of the same terrible quality as The Last Stand in like two years, which would really be something, to do the same thing in roughly half the time. Oh well. At least Steel is still pretty damn fun.

It's weird as i was in a shop yesterday and there was a horrible boyband track playing and it sounded exactly like Endless Summer.

It makes me sad that no one in the band suggested that this song was out of place on a Metal/Rock album, at best it should have been omitted entirely and at worst relegate to a "B-side" of a single. But it's here on the album, ruining it and seriously damaging the credibility of the band IMO. It's even worse that they went to the trouble of making a video for it. I hate it so much that i will not be attending their UK live show in April as it's on their setlist and i have every intention of never hearing it again. I'll wait until the next album tour, if they don't break up after this stupid mistake.

As for the rest of the album, it's not too bad. They don't utilise Noora's harsh vocals as much and there's a horrible dip from track 4 until track 8. But then Raise Your Fists kicks in and reminds you that there is a decent Metal band in here somewhere and a couple of tracks after keep the standard high. I even like Bent and Broken. But it's an album tainted by the lowest of low points which dents one's enjoyment of the highs.

The other stupid thing is BB kicked Anton out because he had total creative control and the others wanted some input, which is fine: I think bands work better if everyone is allowed to contribute. But there must still be some level of tyranny in the band as now writing the bulk of the songs we've got Janne. While there are a couple of decent tracks with his name on, all of the shitty songs on this album are written by him. Could the others not come up with anything better? Or (i suspect) is he assuming total creative control in Anton's place?It's a shame, time will tell if the Beast bounces back or breaks apart.

"Endless Summer" is far from being the worst song on the album. It's not even that bad--just extremely out of place.

"Piece of Me," though? That shit is wretched. I wouldn't be caught dead listening to it, it's so fucking embarrassing. If I had to choose between being caught listening to "Piece of Me" or "Endless Summer," I'd choose the latter without hesitation every single time.